Spraying devices for spraying liquid chemicals, such as fertilizer or insecticides, on crops have long been in use in commercial farming operations. However, such devices are generally mechanically complex, and thus expensive, and require a powerful towing vehicle. Thus, most commercial spraying devices are not suitable for use by the average home owner who desires the convenience of a mobile spraying device to spray his lawn or garden with insecticide or disperse other liquids. Various attempts have been made to provide portable spraying devices, such as the devices described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,575,348; 3,412,938; 4,236,673; and 4,296,875. However, with the possible exception of U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,875, such devices are not well adapted to lawn and garden use or for being drawn by a lawn mower or lawn tractor. With regard to U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,875, the device disclosed is a foam dispenser limited in the manner in which the foam can be dispensed and must be in motion for the pump to operate. U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,907 also discloses a mobile spraying device, but this device utilizes a pressurized tank necessitating a complicated spray control mechanism and the dispersing means are relatively limited.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved spraying device for being towed or drawn by a riding lawn mower, lawn tractor or other suitable drawing vehicle, for spraying a liquid on a preselected surface.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved spraying device with dispersing means which allows the operator to spray a large area with one pass of the device, and which allows the operator to selectively direct the spray as desired.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved spraying device which is provided with agitation means for mixing the contents of the supply tank of the device.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved spraying device which is inexpensive to manufacture and maintain.